Inside Sake No Hana, Tao Group's Swanky New Japanese Eatery On The Bowery

With the arrival of the Moxy Lower East Side hotel comes a slew of buzzy new Tao Group venues located at the Bowery destination. Joining the lineup of watering holes and night spots is Sake No Hana, the hospitality group's swanky take on modern Japanese dining.

A dramatic bar flanked by two curving staircases welcomes guests to the moody Rockwell Group-designed space, whose interiors are inspired by the New York neighborhood's 1980s punk scene and yankii, a Japanese street subculture of the same era that celebrated American rock music and rebellious style.

In the Izakaya-style dining room, accented with latticed wood, embroidered fabric panels, and lantern-esque light fixtures, guests can expect an upscale offering of Japanese bites reimagined by Chief Culinary Officer Ralph Scamardella, Chef Yoshi Kojima (VP of Culinary Development), and Chef Jason Hall (VP of Culinary Operations), executed by Executive Chef Nick Phongmekin. 

The menu spans sushi, noodles, seafood entrees, sizzling skewers, and "imperial cuts" of steak including Niigata Snow-Aged Sirloin, A5 Miyazaki Tenderloin, and Imperial Wagyu Ribeye, all presented with the flair you'd expect from the Tao Group team.

"We took a lot of care with conceiving the Sake No Hana menu," said Executive Chef Jason Hall. "We traveled to Japan to immerse ourselves in the culture and used the knowledge we gained there to perfect every item on the menu and feel it’s a proper homage to Japanese cuisine."

And since it wouldn't be a party without cocktails, the beverage program, helmed by Erin Davey, Megan Ardizoni, and Nikki McCutcheon, is, of course, equally on-point. The selection of playful and whimsical cocktails spotlight Japanese spirits and flavors, with standouts like the Liquid Swords, a savory twist on the old-fashioned with Mizunara oak-aged rum that has been filtered with Japanese coral. Casual.

If you're in the market for a splashy dinner reservation with sceney street cred, this is it.

Click through for a peek inside!

[Photos by Michael Kleinberg/Ashley Sears courtesy Tao Group]